What is a COI?
A certificate of insurance is a one-page summary, usually on a standard ACORD form, that proves the contractor carries insurance. NYC buildings ask for it so that if a worker is hurt, a pipe floods the unit below, or a hallway gets damaged, the contractor's policy responds first, not the building's.
What buildings typically require on the COI
- General liability at limits the building sets. Many ask for at least $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, and some, especially in Manhattan, require an additional umbrella policy.
- Additional insureds: the condo or co-op corporation, the board of managers or directors, and the managing agent, named exactly as the building specifies
- Workers' compensation and disability coverage as required by New York State
- Wording such as primary and non-contributory and waiver of subrogation
- The unit owner sometimes listed as well
Tip: Ask management for their COI sample or requirements sheet and send it straight to your contractor. Most rejected COIs come down to a misspelled corporation name or a missing additional insured.
What is an alteration agreement?
An alteration agreement is a contract between you (the unit owner or shareholder) and the building. It spells out what you're allowed to change and how. It usually covers:
- Scope of work, and plans or drawings for larger projects
- Contractor insurance and licensing requirements
- A refundable security deposit and fees for the building's architect or engineer to review plans
- Permitted work hours and days, and in some co-ops, summer-only rules for major work
- Elevator use, protection of common areas, and debris removal
- Waterproofing requirements for wet areas (bathrooms, kitchens)
- Completion deadlines and penalties
What usually needs what
- Painting, minor repairs: COI plus notice to management
- Flooring: COI, and often the building's acoustic underlayment spec
- Kitchens and bathrooms: COI, alteration agreement, board approval, and often drawings, plus DOB filings for plumbing or electrical changes
- Wall removals and layout changes: all of the above plus architect or engineer drawings and DOB approval
How to get approved faster
- Get the building's alteration package and COI requirements before you collect quotes.
- Choose a contractor who has done COIs for managed buildings before and can turn one around quickly.
- Submit a complete package at once, with scope, schedule, insurance and license information. Boards slow down on incomplete submissions.
- Book the elevator and confirm work hours with the super before demo day.
How we handle it
We issue COIs to your building's exact wording as soon as we have the requirements, and prepare the contractor's side of the alteration package. One of our condo clients put it this way: “He handled all the condo COI insurance requirements smoothly and made the whole process stress-free.”
This guide is general information, not legal advice. City rules change, so confirm requirements for your property with the relevant agency (NYC DOB, DCWP, LPC or your building's management) before work starts.